00555 - Ancient Christian Literature

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student will gain a general overview of the historical development of ancient Christian literature, of its relation to and distinction from Classical literatures, of the specificity of its literary genres and of the function they served in the growth of Christian religion and within the broader context of European cultural tradition. She will also gain the ability to read and interpret literary texts autonomously.

Course contents

"Ancient 'Gnosticism': Sources and Problems"

A) I Unit (30 hours, 5 cfu): «The Birth of 'Gnosticism': Irenaeus of Lyon»

 

B) II Unit (30 hours, 5 cfu): «The Apocryphon of John: a 'gnostic' text?»

 

'Gnostic' imagination and its themes have more or less consciously informed early modern and contemporary western culture, from Masonic symbolism to New Age teachings, from H. Melville's and H. Bloom's novels to the the theory of archetypes by C.G. Jung. But what do we mean by 'Gnosticism'? Which texts are the sources of our knowledge and definitions of such a broad religious phenomenon, marked by a multifarious literary production? The course will make the attempt to address and answer these questions by proposing and fostering a cross-reading of the direct and indirect evidence at our disposal: after a short introduction to the history of research, the focus will shift to the discussion and critical commentary of book 1 of Against Heresies by Irenaeus of Lyon, the first anti-'gnostic' tractate come to us, and then to the analysis of one of the most important 'gnostic' documents, preserved in four copies and probably known to Irenaeus himself, at least in some form: the Apocryphon of John.

Readings/Bibliography

Irénée de Lyon. Contre les Hérésies, livre I, I-II, a c. di L. Doutreleau-A. Rousseau ("Sources Chrétiennes" 263-264),  Paris (Éditions du Cerf) 1979 (2a ed. 2006).

 

Ireneo di Lione. Contro le eresie e gli altri scritti, a c. di E. Bellini-G. Maschio, Milano (Jaca Book) 1997 (2a ed.).

 

Ireneo di Lione. Contro le eresie/1, a c. di A. Cosentino ("Collana di Testi Patristici", 207), Roma (Città Nuova Editrice) 2009.

 

La passione di Sophia: ermeneutica gnostica dei valentiniani, a c. di G. Gaeta, Genova (Marietti) 1997.

 

Testi gnostici in lingua greca e latina, a c. di M. Simonetti, Milano (Fondazione Lorenzo Valla) 2001.

 

The Apocryphon of John, in J.M. Robinson (ed.), The Coptic Gnostic Library. A Complete Edition of the Nag Hammadi Library, II, a c. di M. Waldstein-F. Wisse, Leiden-New York-Köln (Brill) 1995, pp. 1-244.

 

Apocrifo di Giovanni in Testi gnostici, a c. di L. Moraldi, Torino (Utet) 1982 (2a ed. 2008), pp. 105-164.

Teaching methods

Lectures; seminars; practical exercises (use of libraries specialized in the field, bibliographic instruments and computer data banks).

Assessment methods

Oral examination

 

Unit A:

 

1) Knowledge of the broad historical outline of ancient Christian literature (recommended reading: M. Simonetti – E. Prinzivalli, Letteratura Cristiana Antica, Piemme, Casale Monferrato 2003, limited to the historical profile and the two essays in appendix).

 

2) Full reading of the first book of the Against Heresies by Irenaeus of Lyon, and of one work of student's choice in the recommended readings.

 

3) Reading of a monograph, or, alternately, of a selection of articles the student will choose in the bibliography to be handed out at beginning of the course.

 

 Unit B:

 

1) Knowledge of the broad historical outline of ancient Christian literature (recommended reading: M. Simonetti – E. Prinzivalli, Letteratura Cristiana Antica, Piemme, Casale Monferrato 2003, limited to the historical profile and the two essays in appendix).

 

2) Reading of the Apocryphon of John in modern translation, in parallel to the corresponding report in Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies, 1.29-30.

 

3) Reading of a monograph, or, alternately, of a selection of articles the student will choose in the bibliography to be handed out at beginning of the course.

 

Classical students are requested to read latin and greek texts in the original language. Students who do not attend the course can arrange a different coursework.

Teaching tools

PC, overhead projector, photocopied hand-outs.

Links to further information

http://www2.classics.unibo.it/Organico/profili/neri.html

Office hours

See the website of Camillo Neri

See the website of Daniele Tripaldi